As Yonis walked through the dimly lit corridors, the air felt heavier than before, thick with the lingering echoes of violence. The sickle, now faded from view, left a faint chill in his hand as if it mourned its brief return to the mortal plane. Yonis rubbed his palm absentmindedly, the weight of the weapon's presence still pressing against his mind.
The castle was eerily silent, save for the muffled sound of his boots on the cold stone floor. The walls bore tapestries and paintings that seemed to watch him with accusing eyes, as though the spirits of the knights he'd just slain now lingered, whispering in the darkness. He paused before one painting—a depiction of a king standing triumphant over a battlefield of broken bodies. The king's face was obscured, but Yonis could swear the eyes in the painting shifted to meet his own.
"Not tonight," he muttered, stepping past it.
The winding path back to his room seemed longer than it had been earlier. Yonis couldn't help but smirk at the knights' arrogance—they thought they could intimidate him, could corner him in these shadowed halls. But in their overconfidence, they'd handed him the advantage. The castle itself, with its ancient history of bloodshed, was his ally now. The souls of its fallen dead were eager to answer the sickle's call.
"Idiots," he said under his breath. "You never stood a chance."
When Yonis finally reached his chambers, he hesitated at the door. The heavy wood loomed in front of him, almost daring him to push it open. He rested a hand on the handle, but instead of entering immediately, he glanced down the dim hallway behind him. Shadows stretched unnaturally, the silence wrapping around him like a second skin.
He exhaled, pushing the door open. The room inside was plain compared to the rest of the castle—a bed, a desk, and a single window overlooking the sprawling sands outside. Moonlight streamed in, casting long, pale beams across the floor. Yonis stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a deliberate click.
For a moment, Yonis considered reporting the ambush to Luka and Luna. The knights wouldn't be missed—if anything, their disappearance would fuel more paranoia among the castle's residents. Still, he decided against it. Better to let the rumors fester, to let the nobles spin their own tales. Fear would keep them off his back for now.
But as he closed his eyes, exhaustion settling in, one thought gnawed at the edges of his mind.
The next day came and we find yonis in the large dining hall on the first floor of the castle. The side of the dining hall came with an all you can eat buffet, serving an assortment of random Lauf dishes. Yonis sat at a large table by himself, everybody avoided the tables the foreigners sat at.
The only people that ate at the dining hall were the servants and workers,nobles never even came to This side of the castle,yonis doubted they would even eat here this place was for the lower class. Yonis ate with his pitch black cloak on, the hoodie on his head obscuring his face."Look at Him Luka he looks scary-no wonder everybody's avoiding this table" a familiar female voice said.
He turned to see Luna jow and Luka kuragson taking a seat in front of him. Luna was an arrogant and witty mage, probably the most arrogant person that yonis has ever met, but she was attractive for a mage and a powerful wind and sound mage. Yonis had never seen her lose an argument and she was well loved in Ariel, being the daughter of a bandit king made her a princess in her own right.
Luka kuragson has also lived life as a prince in Ariel, the both of them were very popular unlike Yonis who had to keep a low profile all of his life. Luka was a powerful blood mage that wielded his power like arcs of electricity, he was a pretty boy and was always looking to fight strong opponents and sleep with pretty girls.
They all wore a black hooded cloak over their clothes, a visible sign among the crowd-pointing them out as the outsiders. Luna sat in front of Yonis, taking one of his pancakes and biting into half of it. Luka and Luna were spending a lot of time together now, but Yonis didn't understand why. "I'm excited we're shadowing the princess all day today" Luna said with her mouth full.
"You guys haven't really met her yet right?" Yonis asked. "Not really," Luka replied as Luna shook her head, "what's she like?" Luna asked. Yonis looked into the distance as he spoke "she's sort of amazing, she's just so much like a princess-like a real one not like you Luna" yonis said. Luna sucked her teeth loudly, upset that Yonis was already teasing her as soon as they met, Luka chuckled.
"She's smart and elegant and she's calm despite the fact that she's surrounded by assassins, unless some of us are stationed in her room we won't be able to protect her all day." Yonis said. "You sound like you like her" Luna said with a smile growing on her face, Yonis didn't reply he didn't want to get baited into an argument and Luna might be right.
"Besides the Jacquer kingdom wing and the princess wing there are three other wings we don't know the state of" Luka said. "That's right without any allies within this castle and with there being so many different factions, we're blind to the affairs of most of the castle" Yonis replied, taking another bite of his food.
The trio talked some more,finished eating and then made their way back to the princess wing to guard the princess for the rest of the day. As they walked down the hall Yonis took the lead while Luka and Luna stayed behind him side by side.
Luka and Luna were behind Yonis as they annoyingly whispered and giggled in each other's ear, Yonis still didn't notice but the two were getting along very well lately, the relationship between Luka and Luna was changing into something else. The trio finally passed the curtain that separated the dining hall from the princess wing and were of course greeted by the crowd of handmaidens that cleaned the area and gossiped as they worked.
As they walked down the hall black cloaks draped over their shoulders, Luna sped up to catch up to Yonis, "have you noticed there's no other men in this wing." She asked, Yonis looked around finally noticed, that besides the handmaidens who were all female no other males were allowed into this wing. Yonis said he didn't as they passed a statue of a stone man trying to claw his way up from a beautiful bed of flowers.
"You need to be more perceptive moving forward, Yonis, but I think it's noble you didn't notice you were surrounded by women, if it was Luka on the other hand....." She said not continuing the rest. "Where are we even going?" She asked. "For the next hour the princess is with her combat instructor, later today we'll be greeting her brother to the castle, today will be his first day here." Yonis replied. "Hope he's not expecting much, the parts of the castle we know about are already chaotic."
"Her brother is supposedly a war hero,he might be someone who ends up helping us in our future battles." "What? You think he'll end up being a friend?" Luna said. "How many of those do we have? No-no I think he'll just be another challenger we'll have to cut down to protect the princess", She said grimly as she slowed down to continue her conversation with Luka. The trio finally reached the room the princess was in. A large wooden-indoor training room surrounded them as they stepped in the room.
Training dummies were strategically placed all around the room, while weapons of all kinds were neatly placed to the side. The princess was in the middle of the room charging a training dummy, slashing it twice with a wooden sword and stepping back; she was accompanied by Risha and the old hand maiden guard.
The trio silently moved forward as the princess relentlessly attacked the wooden training dummy, grunting with every swing, as she stepped back far from the training dummy and then quickly closed the distance and attacked.
As Luna got closer she acknowledged the princess was indeed as beautiful as the rumors described her to be, even as she trained she looked like a beautiful mess-straight out of a story about a desert princess. Luna also noticed the footwork the princess was practicing, the lily pad steps-Luna's mother was a master at the technique so Luna saw it displayed at its best and the princess was obviously a novice. The lily pad steps was a martial art female warriors would often use, a martial art that drastically enhanced the user's speed.
The first two steps the princess took were extremely slow and awkward, the next two were faster bringing her back to an average speed and the fifth she accelerated immensely, the fifth step was the farthest step the princess could achieve. When Luna's own mother executed the dance Her first step accelerated her immensely and the second step she vanished from sight, Luna knew the first two steps built the foundation for the rest of the dance during battle, and that they were the hardest part to mastering the lily pad steps.
"You're forgetting to use the momentum, to reinforce your swings, your highness" Risha said gesturing for the princess to move back as she took a stance with her spear aimed at the training dummy. "After the first step, every step after should be able to be followed with an attack, I'll slow down so you can see the technique."
Risha said, still in her stance her body slightly turned to the side-as she held up the spear tip toward the dummy. The old handmaiden guard watched silently, observing Risha and the bodyguards. Risha executed the first step of lily pad steps slowly, the step was really just a quick leap to side landing on one foot, she executed 4 more steps in a flash, closing the gap in an instant, the last two steps she almost blurred out of view.
She attacked the training dummy relentlessly, while moving side to side at the same time her spear was now blurring, striking and pulling back so fast it seemed as if it multiplied. She then stopped, the bangs of her spear piercing the wood stopping abruptly, as she backed up just as quick. The princess was stunned, her mouth open, amazed at how powerful her handmaiden friend truly was.
Risha stood there proudly. "Wow you're stronger than I thought you were, I beat you during our duel so quickly you didn't have time to show me you knew the steps" Yonis said out loud innocently. The princess, the old handmaiden guard and Risha all turned toward the trio. Strong feelings of resentment and embarrassment radiated from Risha that Yonis felt. "You cheated last time foreigner, you caught me in an illusion" Risha snapped back.
Yonis smiled back, "there's no such thing as cheating on the battlefield." Risha yelled something back at Yonis but Yonis stopped listening as the princess slowly walked toward him, even her walk was elegant, her smooth brown skin almost shining and her coquettish eyes were low and seductive. She walked up to Yonis, without saying a word as if expecting something.
It was then that the trio realized-putting their hands to their heart and deeply bowing to the princess. "Properly introduce me to your team Yonis" Lashmine said. "To my right is Luka kuragson the son of a feared mighty warrior in Ariel and to my left is Luna jow the daughter of a king in Ariel."
Lashmine walked up to Luna taking her hand and kissing it, "how exciting we have no warrior princesses in Lauf." The princess said. Luna, as arrogant as ever, broke into laughter, "I'm probably one of the strongest warrior princesses in Ariel." Luna said proudly as Yonis rolled his eyes, amazing! the princess said.
Lashmine let go of Luna's hand, her earlier excitement still lighting up her face. "I didn't realize warriors from Ariel carried themselves with such elegance. You must teach me sometime."
Luna straightened, clearly unaccustomed to such flattery. "It's more discipline than elegance, your highness. But if you insist, maybe I can spare a lesson."
The princess clapped her hands together, her laughter soft but genuine. "Consider it a promise then. Mary," she said, turning to the older handmaiden, "remind me to schedule time for lessons with Lady Luna."
Mary inclined her head but said nothing, her sharp eyes glancing toward Yonis, who stood slightly apart from the group, idly running his hand along the edge of a stone column.
Luka, leaning casually against the training room wall, spoke up. "If you're done making promises, your highness, what's next on this royal itinerary of yours? More duels? More speeches?"
Lashmine gave him a pointed look. "No speeches, thank the gods. But you'll find that Lauf Castle rarely runs out of things to do—or secrets to uncover. Come, we'll visit the western wing first. The nobles have been in a flurry all morning, and I'd like to see why."
As the group exited the training room, the sun hung low over the distant mountains, casting golden light through the castle's tall arched windows. The corridors were wide enough to let two carriages pass, adorned with tapestries depicting the history of Lauf. Yonis slowed as they passed one showing a massive beast—a wyvern with spiked wings and a mouth full of fire—battling a knight wielding a spear wreathed in lightning.
He stopped to study it. "What's this?"
Lashmine paused and followed his gaze. "Ah, the Battle of yardspire. One of Lauf's most famous victories. That beast terrorized the countryside for a decade before my ancestor, King sharjen , slew it." She smiled faintly, a flicker of pride in her expression. "The spear he used is still kept in the vaults beneath one of the other wings, or so they say. It's a shame the vaults are sealed now."
Yonis raised an eyebrow. "Sealed? Why?"
Mary spoke this time, her voice low. "The seals were placed a century ago after the last king who dared enter the vaults disappeared without a trace. Some say the treasures there are cursed."
"Or," Luka interjected with a grin, "the wyvern's ghost is guarding them."
"Ghosts don't guard treasures," Yonis said flatly. "They haunt people."
Lashmine gave him an amused glance. "And you're an expert on ghosts?"
Yonis smirked faintly but didn't answer, letting the group move on.
As they walked deeper into the western wing, the air seemed heavier, as though the castle itself was holding its breath. Servants rushed by, their arms full of scrolls and ledgers, and murmurs echoed from a nearby chamber.
Luna's ears perked up. "What's going on in there?" she asked, gesturing toward the noise.
"The Western Council," Lashmine explained. "They oversee trade and external relations. Something must have disrupted the supply lines again."
As they approached the heart of the western wing, the faint hum of music and conversation grew louder. The hall opened into a grand courtyard where nobles were gathered, dressed in bright silks and polished armor. The scent of roasted meat and honeyed wine filled the air, mingling with the sound of a bard singing an old ballad.
"Ah, the evening gathering," Lashmine said with a smile. "This is where the court likes to... unwind."
"Unwind by gossiping and scheming, you mean," Risha muttered under her breath.
Luna chuckled. "Sounds like a battlefield of its own."
Yonis scanned the crowd, his sharp eyes picking out the subtle shifts in posture and expression among the nobles. Some greeted the princess warmly, while others barely masked their disdain. One man in particular—a tall, wiry noble with a hawk-like nose—watched their group with an intensity that set Yonis on edge.
"Who's that?" he asked, nodding toward the man.
Lashmine followed his gaze. "That's Lord Valtris. He oversees the castle's archives and historical records. He's harmless."
"Harmless doesn't stare like that," Yonis said quietly.
Lashmine hesitated but waved off his concern. "He's probably just curious about you. Foreigners don't visit Lauf often."
Before Yonis could reply, a loud trumpet blast cut through the air, silencing the courtyard. A herald stepped onto a raised platform, his voice carrying over the crowd. "His royal highness, Prince Sarath, requests the presence of the court in the great hall tonight. All are to attend!"
The group exchanged uneasy glances. "What's this about?" Luka asked.
"I don't know," Lashmine admitted, her brow furrowing.
Mary's face was grim. "Whatever it is, it won't be good."
Yonis folded his arms, his voice low. "Then we'd better be ready."
The chaos of the west wing courtyard grew more intense with every passing moment. People streamed back and forth, their voices mingling into a cacophony of gossip, commands, and speculations. Sarath's declaration had ignited a wildfire of curiosity and apprehension.
From what Yonis had gathered, Prince Sarath was a celebrated war hero, revered by his people for his victories on distant battlefields. His return after two years on the front lines was already a significant event, but a sudden announcement like this? It carried the weight of something monumental.
Yonis' gaze drifted over the restless crowd as his thoughts wandered. What kind of announcement would a man like Sarath—hardened by war and absent from the court's intricacies for so long—have to make? The question gnawed at him until Luka's voice snapped him back to the present.
"Are we part of this?" Luka asked, his tone casual but tinged with curiosity as he stood behind Yonis. "Feels like tonight's going to be big."
Yonis turned toward the princess, who was standing nearby, her attention locked on the crowd. She seemed to be listening intently, perhaps picking out threads of gossip from the surrounding chaos. Yonis moved closer to her, lowering his voice but still needing to raise it above the din.
"We should leave. We can come back tonight if it's necessary," he suggested.
The princess didn't meet his eyes. Instead, she continued to watch the flurry of activity around them. "No," she said at last, her voice measured but firm. "Let's leave now. Whatever this is... it isn't part of the wedding."
Her words hung in the air as she turned and began walking toward the exit. Yonis opened his mouth to ask how she knew but thought better of it.
Mary, the old handmaiden, broke away from the group as they followed the princess. "I'll return with more information," she promised, slipping into the crowd like a shadow.
The princess moved with an uncharacteristic urgency, her pace brisk and her posture tense. Yonis could feel the emotional undercurrent radiating from her—anxiety, frustration, perhaps even fear. The nobles milling about tried to approach her, their faces eager with questions about Sarath's intentions, but Luka and Luna acted as an impenetrable wall.
"Back off," Luka growled under his breath, releasing a faint pulse of magic into the air. The nobles hesitated, their instincts telling them to retreat.
Luna mirrored his approach, her grin sharp as she did the same, adding, "You'd think they'd know better than to crowd a princess."
The subtle display of their power cleared a path for the group, allowing the princess to move unimpeded. She led the way in silence, her quick, purposeful steps echoing in the hall.
Yonis stayed close behind, observing her closely. This was the first time he'd seen her so visibly shaken, and it unsettled him more than he cared to admit. As her bodyguard, he was meant to protect her from harm—but what about the weight of courtly politics and personal strife? Yonis clenched his jaw, frustrated with his inability to lighten her burden.
The group entered a new hallway, one unfamiliar to the trio. Unlike the west wing's opulence or the east wing's utilitarian charm, this corridor exuded an air of reverence.
Genuine Lauf armor and weapons adorned the walls, each piece accompanied by a plaque bearing the name of the warrior who once wielded it. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the robes preserved alongside the armor spoke of Lauf's long and storied martial history.
It was Risha who broke the silence. Her voice was hesitant, almost pleading. "Um, Your Highness... this isn't the way back to the princess wing. Where are we going?"
The princess didn't stop walking, her tone as composed as ever. "We're going to the Jacquer wing," she said. "To bring peace to the conflict."
The words froze the group in their tracks. Yonis noticed the subtle tremor in Risha's steps, her face pale. He didn't need to feel her emotions to sense her growing dread.
The Jacquer wing.
The name was infamous, a synonym for chaos and carnage. It was no secret that the wing housed the remnants of a kingdom torn apart by civil war. Its king and queen, once Lauf's most trusted allies, were now bitter enemies locked in a deadly struggle for dominance. Both claimed to be the rightful ruler of Jacquer and both had decided to prove it by killing the other, neither had spared any effort in attempting to annihilate the other.
The conflict had become a gruesome spectacle. Weekly reports from the west wing detailed the staggering loss of life—hundreds dead in skirmishes every week, their blood staining the desert sands. The Jacquer armies, known for their ruthlessness, were now locked in a bitter gruesome war that seemed to have no end in sight.
Yonis exchanged a glance with Luka and Luna. The same thought passed between them: Why would the princess willingly walk into such a place?
"I... I can't go there," Risha stammered, her voice breaking the heavy silence.
The princess finally turned to face the group. Her calm demeanor had returned, but her eyes carried a resolve that none of them could challenge. "You can stay behind if you wish," she said to Risha, though her tone left little room for argument.
Yonis stepped forward, his expression neutral but his voice steady. "Your Highness, if this is your decision, we'll follow. But the Jacquer wing is dangerous—it's a battlefield, not a court."
The princess nodded, her gaze unwavering. "That's exactly why we must go."
She turned and continued down the hall, her steps resolute. Yonis hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. Whatever awaited them in the Jacquer wing, it was clear that they were walking into a storm.
The group arrived at the Jacquer wing, the atmosphere shifting as soon as they crossed the threshold. The trio, their black hoods obscuring their faces, moved in a tight formation around the princess, their eyes darting to every shadow and corner. The princess walked with an air of confidence, her tone steady as she finished outlining her plan to single-handedly end the conflict.
"This is not just a matter of diplomacy," she said, her voice calm but firm. "It's about cutting through the chaos and reminding them of their duty to Lauf. They've forgotten what this castle represents."
The elegant halls of the Jacquer wing bore a striking resemblance to other parts of the castle, with arched ceilings and polished stone floors. But as the group ventured further in, the differences became evident. Here, magic seemed woven into the walls, the air heavy with its lingering presence. Unlike the rest of the castle, the Jacquer wing was infamous for its three enchanted rooms—each imbued with spells that expanded their interiors far beyond the constraints of physical space.
The princess gestured subtly as she explained. "The smallest of these rooms is held by the king's forces. It serves as their war room and the primary battleground for this feud. According to the texts I've read, the room's interior is an enormous grassy plain, stretching farther than the perimeter of the castle itself."
Yonis kept his gaze forward, his senses alert, but he listened closely. "And the other two rooms?"
"They belong to the husband and wife separately," the princess replied, glancing back at him. "Each is a fortress—a castle within a castle—where they house their armies and command their sides of the war. These rooms are immense, with their own weather patterns, landscapes, and defenses. If we can gain access to these spaces without drawing attention, we might stand a chance at brokering peace."
Luna, who had been walking near the back of the group, couldn't suppress her amazement.
"Wait, you're telling me there are entire castles stuffed into this one wing? And a battlefield big enough to lose an army in? This place is insane."
The princess smiled faintly, her calm demeanor never faltering. "The entire castle is steeped in ancient magic. Its true origins are unknown, but it's said to predate the kingdom of Lauf itself. The Jacquer wing is just one example of its mysteries—there are parts of this castle even I've never seen, places hidden or sealed away by spells that no one today can break."
Luna let out a low whistle, her eyes scanning the intricate carvings on the walls as they walked. "And here I thought this was just another castle. Turns out it's the kind of place where the stories don't even do it justice."
"Exactly," the princess said softly. "There's power here that people have barely begun to understand. That's why this feud is so dangerous. They're turning a place of wonder into a battlefield."
As they moved deeper into the wing, the halls became eerily quiet, the sounds of their footsteps echoing off the walls. The tension grew thicker with every step, and Yonis couldn't help but glance at the princess. She carried herself with composure, but there was a weight in her expression—a determination that would not waver.
Ahead, the door to the enchanted room loomed, Its surface engraved with glowing runes. The faint hum of magic vibrated through the air, filling the trio with a strange mixture of awe and unease. Whatever lay beyond this door, it was clear that they were stepping into a world unlike anything they had encountered before.
The group approached a single large door, where a lone knight stood guard. His thoughts were far from his duties, drifting instead to the young handmaiden in the princess's wing who had recently caught his eye. But when he saw Princess Lashmine walking toward him, flanked by three hooded figures exuding an air of danger, he snapped upright, his hand instinctively moving to his sword.
He bowed slightly.
"Your Highness."
"At ease, soldier," Lashmine said, her tone cold and commanding. "We wish to pass, and we won't take no for an answer."
The knight hesitated but straightened his shoulders. "And what if I were to refuse, Your Highness?"
The princess didn't waver. "Then my bodyguards will kill you." Her words were calm, almost indifferent, as if she were stating a fact rather than issuing a threat. "What is your answer, knight?"
Their gazes locked. The princess's unflinching demeanor left no room for doubt—she meant every word. Slowly, the knight unsheathed his sword. He assessed the trio behind her: two were small in stature, but their presence was anything but insignificant, and the taller figure radiated raw confidence.
These were no ordinary guards. Yet, the knight was no stranger to danger—he'd survived battles, slain giants. Death did not frighten him. The thought of a quick death often brought this soldier peace.
But then he noticed the fourth figure.
His heart faltered as his eyes fell on her: Risha, the handmaiden who had been occupying his thoughts. She stood quietly at the back of the group, her face half-hidden but unmistakable. In that moment, his courage vanished, replaced by a wave of awkward panic.
The knight quickly sheathed his sword, his movements clumsy as he stammered, "I wouldn't dare disobey my princess."
Stepping aside, he opened the door for them.
"What the hell?" Luka muttered to Luna as they passed. "I thought that guy was ready to fight."
The knight cast one last glance at Risha, who looked back with equal curiosity. Their eyes met briefly before the door shut, leaving the knight alone, wondering if he had just thrown away his honor.
Inside, the group found themselves in an impossibly large grassy field, stretching far beyond what the castle's exterior should have allowed. The sun hung high above, its warmth gentle, far from the oppressive heat of the desert outside. A scattering of trees dotted the horizon, and in the far distance, a gathering of about thirty soldiers stood. From this distance, it was impossible to tell which faction they belonged to.
"What in the—" Luka exclaimed, his voice echoing in the open air.
"This is incredible!" Luna laughed, spinning in place to take it all in.
The princess turned to Yonis with a soft smile that caught him off guard, his cheeks warming despite himself.
The tranquil moment was broken by a sudden yelp from Risha.
A soldier nearby, clad in battered armor engraved with glowing runes, had taken notice of them and hurried over. "Princess Lashmine? Is that you?" he asked, disbelief evident in his tone. His sword and dagger remained sheathed, though his hand lingered near his weapons.
"Hello, soldier," Lashmine said calmly. "Can you tell me where I might find the king and queen?"
The soldier blinked, still processing the princess's presence. "The king and queen's abodes each have separate doors leading to them," he explained, pointing toward a distant tree with an enormous engraved door at its base. "You can't miss it. But—" He hesitated, a strange look forming on his face. "You shouldn't be here, Your Highness. There's no skirmish today, but those men over there are under orders to kill anyone on the battlefield."
His hand moved as he spoke, reaching for Lashmine's arm as if to usher her away. At the same time, his other hand darted for the dagger at his side.
The dagger came up fast, a blur of steel aimed at the princess. She gasped, flinching back—but before the blade could reach her, Luka's hand shot out. Still hooded and cloaked, he grabbed the soldier's wrist with an iron grip, halting the attack mid-swing. The soldier strained against Luka's hold, but it was like trying to move a mountain.
Yonis moved in, silent as a shadow, emerging from behind Luka's cloak as if they were one being, his sickle already formed and gleaming. With precision, he struck three quick blows to the soldier's abdomen. The man collapsed, his strength draining away as the curse took hold. His body convulsed briefly before hardening, his skin turning to stone. Within seconds, he was a lifeless statue.
The group stared at the petrified soldier in stunned silence. Luna's voice broke the quiet. "What is his magic affinity?" she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She shook her head, incredulous. "It's not better than my own power, but... it's impressive."
Risha blinked, still wide-eyed. "Wait—his magic power isn't related to visual illusions and wind?" she asked.
"What? Hell no," Luna replied, clearly baffled.
"Did Luka tell you that? I mean—there's no way he could pull off illusions that good, right?" She trailed off, wandering toward Luka as she muttered to herself, trying to piece together Yonis's mysterious abilities.
Meanwhile, Yonis approached Lashmine, who had fallen silent. Her hands trembled slightly, and she stared at the petrified soldier as if seeing the attempt on her life replaying in her mind.
"Are you hurt, Your Highness?" Yonis asked, his voice low and steady.
She shook her head, but Yonis could feel the residual fear emanating from her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, a quiet reassurance that he would protect her no matter what.
Behind them, Risha watched him with newfound awe, her gaze lingering on his back as he comforted the princess. For the first time, she felt like there was more to Yonis than she had realized.
Yonis still had his hand on Lashmine's shoulder when she whispered, her voice barely audible, "I saw your face when you thought I was hurt." She didn't look directly at him as she spoke.
"I'm your bodyguard. That would've been terrible if it happened," he replied in an equally low tone, though part of him already understood the deeper implication of her words.
"You can't have feelings for me, Yonis," she said, her voice even softer.
Shock and embarrassment rippled through Yonis. What did I do wrong? he thought, replaying the moment in his mind. She saw through me in an instant—just by looking at my face. She was remarkable. Instead of responding, Yonis pretended he hadn't heard her. Without a word, he turned to join Luka and Luna, who were already in a discussion.
He knew the princess was astute enough to recognize he was deliberately ignoring her statement, but acknowledging it would shatter the fragile illusion he clung to—that he wasn't just the Warden's blade, that he could entertain his feelings if he wished. Hearing her denial had cracked that illusion enough already.
Risha hurried to Lashmine's side to check on her, offering the princess a welcome distraction as Yonis approached Luka and Luna.
Luka turned to Yonis, speaking decisively. "We've decided to approach the king first," he said. Luna's grin widened, her confidence growing as they laid out their plan.
"If we use the terrain right, we can stay out of sight of that platoon," Luna added, gesturing toward the group of soldiers in the distance. "It'd be bad if they surrounded us. Those runes on their armor are no joke—fighting them would mean we couldn't protect the princess."
Yonis nodded but hesitated. His gaze shifted toward Lashmine and Risha. Is staying out here really safer? he wondered.
"Come on, Yonis," Luna pressed. "We need a decision."
"What are the chances there's a larger force behind those doors?" he asked.
Before either could respond, Risha let out a gasp. "Oh, gods! Look! Look!"
All eyes turned to see the platoon of knights charging across the plain, their runed armor gleaming under the sun. Their ferocious speed kicked up clouds of dust as they barreled forward like a stampede.
"Damn it," Luka muttered. The knights had somehow spotted the fossilized remains of their comrade and their rage propelled them forward.
The Jacquer king and queen were famed for their battle-hardened soldiers—warriors forged to die without hesitation for their commanders' strategies. The runes engraved into their armor granted them both durability and speed, allowing them to overwhelm mages without fear of death.
Yonis could feel the fear and pain permeating the air. His sickle pulsed faintly as negativity bloomed around him, begging to be unleashed. His hand moved instinctively toward his chest, ready to summon it, but Luka stopped him.
"No," Luka said in a low voice. "You won't stop them all without exposing yourself. Let me and Luna handle this."
Yonis exhaled sharply but relented. He turned and headed toward Lashmine and Risha, his protective instincts guiding him back to the princess.
As Yonis moved away, Luka glanced at Luna. She was already standing in front of him, her wide eyes locking onto his.
"You sure you've got this?" she asked.
"I've got it," Luka replied, turning back to the charging knights. They were frighteningly close now. Each step they took shook the earth, their armor amplifying their momentum. He watched as their ranks surged closer, forming a relentless wave.
"Think you can slow down the front line for a second?" he asked.
Luna smirked. "Guess we'll find out. Get ready."
Luka pushed aside his cloak, revealing the hilt of a sword hidden beneath. As he gripped it, arcs of red lightning began coursing through his body, crackling louder with each passing second.
He spoke, more to himself then anyone, his tone calm and deliberate, though his eyes never left the approaching soldiers. "Last year, I met a lightning mage. He was a novice—barely knew what he was doing. Still, he beat me easily."
The lightning around him intensified, bolts of energy snapping violently in the air as he slowly drew the sword from its sheath.
"That mage had one–great move, calling down lightning from an angle his opponents couldn't defend from. My blood magic can't mimic it perfectly," Luka continued, his voice tinged with melancholy. The knights were almost upon them now, their roars drowning out the sound of the wind. "But this... this move is inspired by him."
Luka stopped drawing his sword when only the tip remained in the sheath. A deafening boom of thunder shattered the air as storm clouds formed overhead, plunging the battlefield into shadow.
The downpour came instantly—a torrential rain that stopped just short of Luka and Luna. Every droplet hissed as it struck the knights, burning through their armor like acid. Their ferocity turned to screams as the blood-infused rain dissolved flesh and steel alike. In seconds, the knights were reduced to nothing, their bodies annihilated by the relentless storm. The rain, even after the knights had dissolved, had begun to grow stronger, causing a shockwave across the grass plains before slowing.
When the rain finally slowed, the clouds dispersed, revealing a clear sky once more. The battlefield was eerily silent, save for the faint hiss of steam rising from the scorched ground.
Luka sheathed his sword without a word. His face was impassive, but his trembling hand betrayed him.
Yonis stared at him, stunned. Luka had grown much stronger in the past year. That attack... Yonis realized even he wouldn't have been able to dodge it, even at his full strength. Has he surpassed me?
Risha and Lashmine were equally dumbfounded. Risha had encountered powerful mages before, but she had never witnessed such a brutal and efficient attack.
"That was... vicious," she whispered.
Luna, meanwhile, watched Luka with concern. Pride had briefly flickered in her chest after witnessing his display, but now she saw the shadow of something else—something heavy weighing on him.
"That was incredible, Luka," she said cautiously, stepping closer. "Are you okay?"
Luka glanced at her and forced a smile. "I can only use that move twice a month," he said, his voice quiet. "This was the first time I used it in battle."
Luna studied him, her thoughts drifting to the lightning mage he'd mentioned earlier. Before she could press him further, Lashmine approached, showering Luka with praise.
Luka blushed under the princess's attention, but his gaze drifted back toward the battlefield, where steaming craters now pockmarked the earth.
Yonis kept his distance from the group as they processed the aftermath. His hand instinctively hovered near his chest, brushing against the place where his sickle would emerge if he allowed it. Watching Luka's display left him uneasy, a strange cocktail of envy, admiration, and doubt swirling within him. His abilities had always set him apart, but Luka's power was something else entirely—overwhelming and decisive in a way that Yonis could never hope to match without exposing his deepest secret.